Is this static or a symptom of clarity?

[Faustblix]

I'm really struggling guys.

Kef Q950 running in stereo off denon x4700h. I've been hearing artifacts, crisps, static, almost like something somewhere is cracked or blown.

I hear this at low volumes with my ear to the speaker, and at high volumes, but it seems very dependent on the track. You know that awful sound when someone talks too close into a mic?

I've played test tones across a range of freuqencies and could not reproduce it.. Yet something like 6:22 into Phyllis by Lettuce just ear wrecking.

Digital and electronic music like the intro to We Are The Night (which is really pushing it on the treble tones!) doesn't have this issue at all...

So I'm stuck and left wondering... Is it the speakers having an issue? Or is this faithfully reproduced and I'm hearing things even more clearly than on my se846 iems?

12 gauge wires, fospower bananas, no buzz or hum at rest.

Any ideas how I could further isolate or test? Ideally without costly equipment.

 

[Faustblix]

Couldn't figure out where to delete thread.
Seems to be something at the source.
When playing off of Spotify on a wired source it was fine. When cast to the avr via what came up as 'heos' briefly, seems it got louder and more distorted. Will just research into this heos music deal some more, and avoid it for now.

 

[lovinthehd]

You can ask a moderator like @Steve81 to delete, but it might be useful as-is....glad you figured it out. I have no Heos experience myself. I don't have wifi audio issues using a variety of gear via dlna, tho.

 

[Faustblix]

Ideally the avr should engage Spotify directly, but when choosing another device to play from within the Spotify app, it seemed to keep the initial device's audio controls, which even sub-50% seemed to just be tacking on distortion (Huawei mate20 pro). Even when closing the app on the phone the audio profile stayed the same and continued playing.

One of these days I'll just need to acquire a decent source for music, but I'm surprised the receiver handled the interaction like that.

You might be right about leaving the thread. Its just the kind of rookie oversight that might help someone in a search.

Thanks again.

 

[TLS Guy]

Couldn't figure out where to delete thread.
Seems to be something at the source.
When playing off of Spotify on a wired source it was fine. When cast to the avr via what came up as 'heos' briefly, seems it got louder and more distorted. Will just research into this heos music deal some more, and avoid it for now.

From experience I can tell you this is likely a symptom of a ground loop affecting a digital circuit. Digital circuits with ground loops do not manifest as hum, but irregular background noise and spurious modulations. This ground loop may be external to the unit, but more often is related to suboptimal ground plane and layout in the digital unit exhibiting the symptom. I would not delete this thread.

 

[Faustblix]

From experience I can tell you this is likely a symptom of a ground loop affecting a digital circuit. Digital circuits with ground loops do not manifest as hum, but irregular background noise and spurious modulations. This ground loop may be external to the unit, but more often is related to suboptimal ground plane and layout in the digital unit exhibiting the symptom. I would not delete this thread.

Hoping it's external. Before starting the thread I ordered an apc surge protector hoping it might make a difference. Amp is 2 prong. I haven't got the coin for much more serious power conditioning.

Would phono behave any differently in the event of a ground loop for diagnostic purposes?

 

[TLS Guy]

Hoping it's external. Before starting the thread I ordered an apc surge protector hoping it might make a difference. Amp is 2 prong. I haven't got the coin for much more serious power conditioning.

Would phono behave any differently in the event of a ground loop for diagnostic purposes?

If it was connected to analog turntable, then yes it would. This will not be a problem in he mains supply. You need to focus on the digital unit that is causing the problem.

So focus on the units that actually exhibit this symptom. This is very unlikely to be external, but more likely an internal grounding problem in the digital unit, or units exhibiting the problem.

I can tell that having built an number of HTPC and DAWs over the years, you have to very carefully design the internal ground plane. However, I would bet that commercial designers are not likely to be as obsessional as I am. All my streaming, except the apps on my TV, is done via in house built units. I don't use ROKU or any of those type of units. I don't build junk, and don't pay for blue sky!